SXSW Artist: Gabriella Cilmi

Like my brother Quincy Jones, it takes me only 15-20 seconds to like an artst. When myself, Marcus, and the elustrious Fiona Bloom were eating at the Austrialian BBQ in Austin I almost dropped my hot dog when I heard a 17 year old Australian singer by the name of Gabriella Cilmi. Her rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River,” instantly made me a fan.

Sure, the bio reads like any aspiring singer-songwriter. She was inspired by Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones and the like but the resulting combination of soul, pop and country rhythms that has won her 6 Australian Grammys and a Brit Awards Nomination Best International Female. Her beautiful, yet fractured voice, flows over anything you throw at her, and her down to earth demeanor (she was ragging on me for mispronoucing her name at one point), is a direct retalition against papparzi-crazed pop stars.

After her performance, I ran to the Internet terminal at the Austin Convention Center across the street and found this video for “Sweet About Me” and the track “Einstein,” and I became an even bigger fan.

Gabriella is set to release her album Lessons to Be Learned in the US this year, and will be featured on VH1 for their “You Oughta Know” segment soon. Remember where you heard her first y’all.

Recognized as an international music tastemaker by industry insiders
and musicians "in the know," Stone (aka Winston Ford) is the creator
of The Couch Sessions, the premier online destination for alternative
urban music and culture.